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Microsoft Xbox 360

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The Xbox 360 shot to popularity with its expansive online community and host of exclusive games. Whilst it may be prone to malfunctions and lack certain features of the rival ps3, it excels in the multiplayer arena. „

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Hours of family fun, great machine for everyone

We first bought an xbox 360 around a year ago, when out family suggested that we try one out and we have never looked back. There are a number of things that make the xbox so enjoyable.

My first point is the control pad. It is ergonomically designed to fit to your hand, unlike the playstation pad, it fits in my hand perfectly which is vital for gaming.

We recently bought Xbox live which has been a massive boost in our entertainment. Not only can we play with our friends and family online, but we can also watch full length films and have access to music. Its like a game station and hi-fi unit all in one!

The Xbox is also available with a head set which means you can talk to gaming friends while playing a game, which is brilliant if you need to speak to people whilst playing games like Call Of Duty.

The console is fantastic for all of the family, games are available for young children and for adults which is the key point for me. Fitness games are also available with the device so there really is something for everyone with this.

The console has Xbox Kinnect, so this is even more fun where it puts you inside the game, brilliant for the kids and for adults to interact with their children through gaming.

All together this is a fantastic device, which is not too expensive anymore due to the release of a new model, so people can buy a machine on a budget.

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Great value living room entertainment centre

My first Xbox 360 was one of the early generation models which broke after many years of use. I could not justify the hefty cost of an Xbox One and so decided to buy one of the final generation Xbox 360 models.

This Xbox is a good 33% smaller then my previous machine and the black slim look is aesthetically pleasing. The most noticeable difference for me has been the noise; you can barely hear when the Xbox is on. I had become accustomed to the rather irritating noise of the fan on the older machine, which was grating when watching a film via the Xbox.

The hard disk has a capacity of 250gb which is more than enough for me and probably even a relatively hardcore gamer! This model also has the useful addition of having a wireless internet connection built within the machine, which saves either having a long Ethernet cable, re-routing the router, or buying a separate wireless dongle!

Be warned this does not come with a HDMI cable which is irritating when the anticipation of setting it up is met with having to go find a HDMI cable! This seems a little tardy when considering how cheap the cable is and the substantial investment cost needed when purchasing an Xbox.

When I initially bought my Xbox it was merely to play games on, but it has become much more then that - an entertainment centre through which I watch and download films, use catch-up TV, play music, view YouTube and so on.

So overall I highly recommend this Xbox, I bought it for £159 (which seems a good price) with no problems, other than no HDMI cable, and this can be a stop gap until the crazy prices of the Xbox one falls!

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Fantastic console, best I've ever owned. 10 out of 10

I bought my Xbox 360 around 3 years ago, and have never looked back since. I much prefer the Xbox 360 to the rival PS3, as I prefer the controller layout, the dashboard, and I think the game selection is just as good. Every update that has been released by microsoft has just made the 360 better and better. The graphics are very high quality, especially when connected to an HD ready TV, and the extra features on the dashboard are well worth the money, for example; facebook access, last fm, etc. I not only use my 360 to play games, but also to watch DVDs and to play music on. The controller battery life is also very good, I can't even remember the last time I had to change the batteries!. My only complaint is that the fans can get quite noisy, but that is easily knocked down with the other features that make the console worthwhile for me. Best games console I have ever owned. Ten out of ten.

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Buy a Ps3

I got my X-box several years ago now and couldnt wait to get cracking! I got call of duty 4 and after introducing my dad to it, convinced him that he should follow suit and get one.Christmas came and he did.

Playing multiplayer on call of duty with my dad was great, we used the headsets and it worked well provided the broadband connection was good.

The console and interface are easy to use and provide some great services. Of course the downside of Xbox online is that you have to pay a yearly subscription which was annoying when playstation network is free.

I didnt mind this untill I got the Red Ring Of Death that seems to plague every single xbox every created. As my xbox was out of warrenty I fixed it and gameplay was resumed. However then my dads Xbox got the ring of death and as he no longer had the reciept despite being under a year old he could not get it replaced.

Thus ended our multiplayering! In the end I wish I had bought a PS3 and not been so tight, as I would probably still have a working console. It is pitiful that a company so large could push out these flawed consoles, there again people do keep buying new ones to replace the broken ones so maybe its our fault!

In the end it is a great console but is plagued by reliablity issues which were not resolved as claimed by microsoft.I would not advise getting one unless its cheap!

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Pick one up quick!

I have owned an Xbox 360 for around 4 years now and have used it a lot during this period of time. This is not going to be like one of my normal reviews where I go through each feature etc as there are far too many features and it would read more like a book than a snappy review.

The primary functionality of the Xbox 360 when it was introduced was as Microsoft's attempt at next-gen gaming and so, it's purpose was to play games of which it does very well. It comes with everything you need to get playing in the box, apart from games but most are now sold as part of bundles with some games included.

However, more recently, Microsoft have shifted the Xbox 360 into a more all-round entertainment system and this has vastly improved the system for many people as the more features the better considering that the updates are obviously free. Thus, now included on the Xbox 360 are applications such as 4oD, BBC Iplayer, Vevo, Youtube and many more. They are planning to add an internet browser as well in the near future.

One drawback for some people of this is that to use these applications, you will require Xbox Live Gold membership which costs money. For me, this is not an issue as I wish to play my games online so would get this anyway. This may be an issue for some but Gold membership is actually very cheap if you buy from the Xbox when they offer you deals. For example, I got my last 2 months for just £2. Note thst you will have to disable auto-renew to prevent this going on to a much more expensive deal after the 2 months.

One important point for many gamers is the controller. I find the Xbox 360 controller to be the best controller that I have ever used. It fits comfortably in your hands although it may not if you have small hands. It has two triggers which are very important for racing games in getting precision driving going, and the position of the left analogue stick is a great improvement over the PS3 controller in my opinion.

Overall, I would give this console a 10/10 as it has been reliable and has provided me with months (literally) of great entertainment. Many people claim reliability issues with the 360 but I have never had such an issue with the console itself. I did have a broken fan in a power pack which made a horrible racket but I replaced this very easily. There is a wide back catalogue of games to pick up and play for very cheap after 7 years of Xbox 360 gaming and is a steal at around £100 which you can pick one up for now.

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could be better than ps3 if free

The Microsoft XBOX 360 is by far one of the best if not the best gaming consoles you can buy. it is sleak by design has a flawless layout and one of the most extensive gaming communities around. the dynamics of this console and its set up are perfect for anyone who wants to really get involved within a gaming community. the touch of creating your own avatars gives it even more of an individual and personal touch that allows you to truely represent who you are. the only real draw back of the xbox 360 is the monthly or annual membership in order to use the online services or play online with your friends as opposed to the of playstation where this is free. the controller is perfectly ergonomically designed for ease of use that trumps playstation over and over, however i was still inclined to swap. this was for a few reasons, but predominantly my friends all had playstation and where it was free for online gaming i felt that i had no loyalty to xbox or any interest in staying faithful even though i prefer the console. if some proper changes where made into the cost of membership i would come back as the layout and community is far better, but that in my opinion does not equivilate to the cost. :(

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Its not for girls. Really male oriented.

I personally think the Xbox 360 is the second best all round next generation games console, it has a large online community (as does the Playstation) and very high quality graphics (but still not as good as the playstation)

I own the 60GB version and this is not enough memory for game data and add ons in games such as Call of Duty and Gears of War also what I do get very aggravated about is having to pay for certain memberships to gain online access, with a Playstation 3, to play online is free! However saying this, the Xbox would be nothing without its internet access and Microsoft know this so you feel like you have to pay to get in on the fun. As with all Microsoft products, they always self update themselves so now you can even access facebook via your console.

One thing that this console does not have over the Playstation is that it can play back DVDs but you can't download films and watch them on your console as you can with the PS3 and this is a drawback if you want your xbox to be your media centre.

Also in the the more diverse gender way of things, Xbox is very much targeted at the male market, as there are next to now female oriented games whereas the Playstation allows for girly arcade games. I would say this console is more for the geeky male hardcore gamer who loves wargames and blowing stuff up. This is not for girls.

Also the xbox has very premium games which are not available on the other platforms such as Fable 3...

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Great all round console

I personally think the Xbox 360 is the best all round next generation games console available, it has great graphics, easy to use and a great online community. I own the 60GB version, but have to admit, that the memory isn't enough for what is needed to download the additional maps or add-ons to games. I have had the red ring of death and after a long (and somewhat overcomplicated and drawn out) procedure, I had it repaired, and sent back to me good as new. I have it connected up to the internet, and have a gold membership online, the gaming community on the Xbox is worth paying for and allows multiplayer games to be played online, as well as party speaking. Microsoft are always continuously updating the Xbox, and making it easier and better to use, and now with the adding of sky player, and Facebook, the Xbox offers a great online experience, but can be used completely offline as well.However, it doesn't have as good graphics as the PS3, but the graphics aren't that far behind on the Xbox, and in my opinion, the range of games exclusively available on the Xbox, and the online community, makes it better than the PS3, even though the PS3 does offer a free online service.

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Brilliant with only a couple of flaws

I purchased an xbox 360 20gb in 2008 for £150. At the time i did not own xbox live so i will first give you a bit of a review on the non-live side of things.XBOX 360 OFFLINE MODE....................................So you have just set up the xbox 360, all connected first thing you do is pick up the controller and turn it on obviously.You will now notice that the xbox 360 wireless controller is rather large but when grasped properly and with a little getting used to it becomes very naturally fitting to your hand, or more your hand get's used to the controller. The controls alter between games but the buttons go like this :Trigger left : LTTrigger right : RTButton on top left known as the left bumper : LBButton on top right known as the right bumper :RBLeft analouge stick : the left joy stick Right analouge stick : the right joy stickUp, down, left, right : directional pad below LBSelect : small button on the left of the home buttonHome : large raised X in the middle Start : small button on the right of the home buttonY, X, A, B : self explanatoryNow it loads up an you are given the chance to create what is called a gamertag, this is basically your name on the xbox set it as whatever you want, names such as xx(name)xx and xo(name)xo are very common for some reason. After creating a gamertag you will be told to create your avatar which is basically a moving 3d character of you however you can create him how you wish. Now this has been done you have what is known as a gamer card with all your information. This shows your achievements and gamer points also which is the points you are awarded when you complete special challenges on each game with 1000points up for grabs on each game.The dashboard is basically your home menu scrolling up will take you to a new panel showing the game marketplace( xbox live section covers this) etc etc and you can view the different panels.With the xbox 360 there are 2 front usb ports, if you wish to insert a memory stick then you can play music, watch movies and view images. Also the xbox 360 drive accepts dvd's and you can rip music from cd's if you wish to store them on the xbox 360.The xbox 360 allows you to use hd if you have a hd tv to do this you will need to go to the scart adaptor in the back(or front maybe), for those of you who do not know what this is it is the little thing with the red yellow white cables in, and take this cables out and put the other 3 colours in and switch the small black button to hd, this will allow you to play your games and watch your movies in FULL hd providing you have the correct television.

XBOX 360 ONLINE MODE...................................This is the gem of the xbox 360 it is microsofts main focus for the xbox 360, although it costs money it is very cheap. £39.99 is normal which relates to aproxamatly 10p a day! For anyone who says this is expensive 10p a day is all you need there really is no exuse to not have it.To connect to xbox live you need broadband in the home and you can either opt to use an ethernet cable or use the wireless adaptor which is very expensive.When you connect to xbox live you will be able to use all the online multi player functions of every game with them! Aswell as this, you have acess to msn and a very good few applications.Game maketplace :This is where you can download demos for most new games : FREEAlso you can download additonal game content such as map packs for call of duty : some of these are free the majorty of additonal content however does cost You can also buy arcade games which are very cheap time wasting games basically but some are rather entertaining to be fair.Video marketplace :You can buy rent and stream instantly full hd movies from ZUNE You can use, providing you have a subscrition to sky already, the very popular sky player to watch your favourite shows you missedWatch all the latest movie trailersMusic marketplace :Listen to unlimited music with no ads using ZUNEPersonalized last fm radion channel : FREEMy friends :View all your current friends on xbox live maximum of 100 friendsJoin parties where you can speak to a number of peopleAdd new friendsMy community :Use video chat if you have the kinect motion sensorYou can use facebook and twitter very easilySo as you can clearly see the xbox 360 is brilliant ... however compared to the playstation 3 .... live psn£39.99 £00.00no internet full internet use strong security weak securityexcellent online gameplay average online gamplaySo as you can see it does match up to the PS3 with the downside being price and no internet but those shouldnt bother you too much as the console is brilliant!

The xbox 360 for me is by far the best console to buy it is cheap, easy to use, has the best online gameplay and in full makes for a better gaming experience.Useability 8/10Online usage 9/10Gameplay 7.5/10Graphics 9/10(depending on the tv)Overall 8.5/10 a brilliant console with many good factors about it.

Anyone considering purchasing a gaming console this is by far the one to go for!!

Please comment rate and trust me im new to this site so please comment how you think i did etc thank you :)

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an excellent platform for the hardcore gamer

The Xbox 360 was the last of the next gen consoles i bought and i arrived a little late (not by choice, by finances), Microsoft has been getting it right with gamers for a long time now, releasing some incredibly popular titles, (i don't think i need to mention Halo and Gears of war.) And the Xbox has been building up a nice fan base with the 360 and i feel it's deserving, so let's lift the lid on the Xbox 360.

It's a good looking console (i think that's a standard for next gen consoles now) i have the gloss black version, i like to have it standing upright, it sports a nice little curve in the middle like a lovely lady and the open disc tray button has possibly the most satisfying beep iv'e ever had the pleasure of listening to, and people with huge gargantuan hands fear no more, there's a big sporty looking silver "on" button sitting nicely in the middle of the front face of the console.It has vents over the top which unfortunately i have to say collect a lot of dust, i live in fairly dusty conditions but my Xbox seems to attract an awful lot more than most other things in my flat, and the Xbox produces ALOT of heat, you need to be really careful with the Xbox as they tend to have a case of pulling a sickie, i haven't had any problems as yet but a number of friends and associates have reported the occasional box giving up and dying so my real advice there, and i really mean this is, DON'T skimp on the warranty! Warranty packages are usually pretty reasonable and often overlooked but if your 360 decides to give up you'll be glad it's there.The wiring is reasonable, it's another one of those consoles that has a huge powerpack, and that tends to get a little warm to, i don't think it's excessive heat from the power pack, but as i said above keep your eyes on the heat coming out of the console itself, a couple of occasions i found it to be excessive, it was really hot, like microwave apple pie hot, so watch your fingers!

Powering up the console was nice and smooth, everything loaded up nice and fast, but i did have a problem with the interface, it's very cluttered, there's a lot of adds, and the headings don't help much, when i loaded up a disc i wasn't sure where to go to play the game, it wasn't a big problem but i just feel the interface could be a bit tidier, there's a "music market place" a "video market place" a "game market place" a "spotlight" an area for "your friends" and i just felt that the hub area of the Xbox could do with a bit of tidying up, although it's fair to say that design wise, it suits the style and design of the Xbox itself. Also i really love the sound it makes when you flick between options, a satisfying *bonk* *bonk* affair which for people easily pleased (Me) can potentially sell a console.It would be worth you picking up an HD cable or an HD component cable, i ran it on the scart just to take a look at the difference and it was very noticeable, with HD games you wont be able to read the text and you just don't get the full breakfast with games without the HD. The shop i found to be nice and user friendly (there trying to sell you stuff so it should be user friendly!) and there's a good range of classic titles which is always a huge plus for me, there's also the Xbox live arcade which has a broad range of titles to download to your console, so i wouldn't skip on the 360's internet capabilities. May i also say that the download speeds are fantastic, i downloaded a video of just over 100mb which isn't a huge file but can present a problem for some internet connections, it took well under 2 minutes to download on my relatively low connection speed which i happily give the Xbox top marks for.Another note on the internet capabilities would be Xbox live, which unfortunately will set you back a subscription fee, but is very good with good support for online games and seems to run everything online very smoothly, but there is an issue, the online gaming community is incredibly competitive and can often come across as a little unwelcoming and on occasion abusive, I love the idea of online gaming, it's fantastic and can be a great experiance, but i don't have the time to become an expert at the games i'm playing because of work and other commitments, so paying a £40 subscription fee to have a fourteen year old scream "NOOB" at me for half an hour because i can't perform a backflip while firing a rocket launcher at a target the size of a pea 10 miles away, doesn't appeal to me, and could potentially put off gamers who want to get into online multi player and don't have the "skill" necessary to compete.

The Xbox controller is one of the top controllers out there at the moment for consoles, it is a VAST improvement on the original which was chunky and required super hand strain to achieve any kind of special move in a game, the 360 comes back with a gorgeous curvy roundy controller with an excellent layout, i adore the analogue stick layout, moving from the D-pad to the analogue can be a pain on some controllers but having the D-pad below the left analogue just solves the problem wonderfully, plus the D-pad is slightly raised up further simplifying the matter.Overall the Xbox 360 is a fantastic console and a real contender in the next gen market, it's a user friendly console, it looks and feels great to control and it runs everything smoothly and quickly. I would however say that the Xbox is a gamers console, unlike something like the Wii it's not the most family friendly console and doesn't have much to offer in that respect so have a think about that before take the plunge and go for an Xbox, but if any part of you is in into computer games then you can't really go wrong with an Xbox.

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hours of fun to be had with this purchase, but id recommend the PS3 over it

I own all 3 majors consoles, and in my humble opinion XBOX 360 is slightly behind the PS3. The XBOX is a great console. The graphics are fantastic, and wide range of games are on offer. The online play is even better than the PS3 and without the problems of playstation network. I think because i played Playstation first, i never warmed to the xbox controllers, what i find a bit chunky and i also don't like the positioning of the analogue sticks. My major issue is the 3 rings of death. XBOX's seem to be badly made. They tend to break down on a constant basis, with many of my friends and myself experiencing major problems. In comparison the PS3 is well built and problems are rare. I also find the XBOX to be very loud, with the fan getting very loud. Despite this the XBOX is a fine console, and i have to be pedantic to distinguish it from the playstation. Also it is cheaper with many retailers, so therefore i can see why you would buy it.

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Good console in general

When I first brought a Xbox 360 I was not expecting much because it did not really appeal to me, but as soon as I started playing it I was proven wrong everything it was amazing even down to the layout of the controller. After about a month of playing I decided to get Xbox live and it astonished me how good the online community was, in the first day I made some friends the community is that friendly. But then I get the infamous Red Ring Of Death, so i contacted the Xbox customer support after about twenty minutes of waiting I finally got talking to someone and then they said the will come pick it up and send it back once it has been repaired as soon as possible, after five weeks I finally got it back, this has happened five times to me in four years to me. Overall I recommend buying a Xbox 360 but not a original, but instead the slim.

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Great console, one of the best!

I've had my xbox 360 now for over 5 years and its one of the few consoles that I can remember where I am not constantly looking forward to the next system. Microsoft continue to keep me interested by bringing out new and better games, addons and of course the kinect system.

I still have my original xbox 360, the first generation, and its still going strong! I havent had a problem with it so far and I have had it for a long time. It has brought us tons of classic games such as COD, Halo series, Dead Space, Fall out, guitar hero... I can see in quite a few years time it having the iconic status that the N64 and megadrive has with games coming out called "XBOX 360 Classics" for the Xbox 8!

I used live a lot to keep in touch with my friends back home, its a great way to chat as well as having a distraction and competition of online gaming. It must be one of the longest lasting consoles around without having a complete refurb to the next generation of consoles. There are still constant improvements being made to it, making it one of the best technological investments I've ever made!

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Awesome console, a must buy for all gamers.

I personally have the black elite version of the Xbox 360. I bought it roughly 2 years ago and it has been my loyal servant ever since! Sure, we've had our ups and downs, but what couple don't?!But in all seriousness, the Xbox 360 is an amazing console, offering quality graphics, amazing gameplay and simply astonishing online play. But like everything, it has both it's advantages and disadvantages.Advantages including the previously mentioned online gaming experience, Xbox Live. It is simply the greatest option from the choices of online gaming, nothing can even come close to it. In my opinion, the Xbox 360 controllers are far superior to any other gaming console, they just seem to 'fit' in your hand more naturally than any other, take the PS3, for example, the controllers feel tiny in your hand, like they're more suited for young children, and we all know this gaming business is no childsplay! The variety of games available on the Xbox is leagues ahead of it's competitors, also. Many of people I know have transferred from the darkside (Playstation) over to the land of the Xbox simply because of the greater choice of games able to play on.

Right now, this sounds like a dream, right? Well here's the downfalls. The Xbox is HUGE! Well.. it's pretty big. It can be tough finding a nice spot for it to fit around your TV due to it's size. Another thing is this dreaded 'Red ring of death' and should it appear, rendering your Xbox 360 useless and it must be sent away to Microsoft for repairs, although I have not experienced this.. yet. Almost forgot, the noise of it when it is on, the fans sound like they belong in a windtunnel! It's not so bad through the day, with background noise and all, but at night it can be heard through the house, nevermind just in the room it is played in, making a sly midnight gaming session almost impossible.As for the graphics of the console, I don't quite know where to put this, the graphics are quite great, but do not warrant a place in the advantages as they aren't as good as Playstations, but they certainly do not warrant being a disadvantage, so they may have their own little place. As well as having to pay for online play, but it's not that expensive and is definitely worth the extra price to do it.

In conclusion, the Xbox 360 is a great gaming console and amazing value for money, but it does have it's downfalls. I certainly think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and is a must-buy for all gamers.

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Great machine shame about some of the available services

I didn't buy an Xbox until a long time after it came out, chiefly because there had been a number of problems with the device on release, (red ring of death anyone) recently however i took the plunge and bought one, all in all its a fantastic machine now, i haven't had any particular problems with the hardware, although i do take issue with windows live, which at times can seem very complicated, and syncing it up with your pc can cause some problems that not even the tech guys at windows live could solve! my real issue with that is the fact that the price of subscription for Xbox Live hardly justifies the issues you can potentially have with windows live.However aside from those little niggling issues the Xbox is a great machine, its one thats certainly built for gamers, it doesn't seem to me to be a family oriented home entertainment systems which most consoles are becoming, i don't think microsoft has suffered because of this because the fanbase has been huge since Microsoft started releasing its absolutely superb exclusive titles like Halo and gears of war. Also the 360 is HD ready but incredibly irritatingly does not come with the required cable just standard scart, this is typical of many products at the moment and hopefully it will come to an end soon lol!

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Product Details

The Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system places you at the center of the experience. Xbox 360 ignites a new era of digital entertainment that is always connected, always personalized, and always in high definition.

Xbox 360 gives you access to the games you want to play, the people you want to play with, and the experiences you crave - when and where you want them.